UK government accused of royal cover-up

Britain’s anti-monarchy campaign group Republic has accused the UK government of royal cover-up, after it agreed to veto a Freedom of Information request for access to Prince Charles’s correspondence with ministers.

The group, which campaigns for a “democratic Britain with an elected head of state,” said the government ministers have conspired with Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, in order to keep his secrets under wraps.

Recently, the Attorney General Dominic Grieve blocked a decision by the Upper Tribunal of the Administrative Appeals Chamber to allow the British public to read about attempts made by the Prince of Wales to influence politicians and civil servants.

The campaign group also condemned the Attorney General’s decision as a move to protect Charles and the country’s royal family from “scrutiny” and to pretend that Britain’s heir to the throne is “impartial” despite evidence showing that he lobbies for “his own political agenda”.

“It’s an open secret that prince Charles lobbies the government. What the public has a right to know is what he is lobbying for and whether he is actually influencing policy,” said Republic’s chief executive Graham Smith.

Meanwhile, cabinet Liberal Democrat ministers raised objections about the Attorney General’s decision to block the release of letters from the Prince of Wales, arguing that the move could be considered as a breach of freedom of information laws.

Furthermore, during Press TV’s evening debate show Comment on October 18, British MP and founder of the Respect party George Galloway criticized the UK government for banning the public from reading Prince Charles’ letters to ministers.